Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-06-02


contests. The same ground on
which the soldiers of the war spread
their tents and caRped was assigned
as quarters for the visiting batal-
ions and regiments, and every ap.
polntment for convenience on the
field was perfected, as well as
throughout the city for the care of
the thousands of visitors incidental
to the occasion.
The drill opened Monday, but
this was the practical business day
of the meeting. The last arrivals
of troops were assigned to their To-
cations on the camp ground, the
camp was formerly christened
"Camp George Washington," or.
ders were issued by General Anger,
the commandant of the camp, and
at five clock there was a formal
opening of the entertainment by a
dress parade by all of the assem-
bled troops. The competitive drills
commenced on Tuesday.
The judges of drill were all ex-
perienced army officers, who have
passed much time at the leading
institutions where manuel of arms
was thought of first in everything.
The judges program was not made
known, of course, and no military
organization was informed what
manouvers it would be required to
perform until it entered the drill
ground for each contest. The high
est prize offered was S., 900, and that
was to the best company of infantry.
1t took quite good deal of mon
ely to run the dining room and
kitchen erected on the drill ground
for this occasion. The kitchen was
capable of preparing food for four
thousand persons at a time, and
was fitted up with the largest range
in the city. The dining room seated
twelve hundred men, allowing sew
enteen inches of room for each, and
the caterer who purchased this priv
i!ege said he coald reese: the tAb!ss
every twenty-five minutes, The
amount of crockery was very large,
nearly fifty thousand pieces. About
nineteen hundred of the soldiers
attempted to do their own cooking
on account of the bad treatment
they have received heretofore while
attending other drills.
Wednesday, the 25th, and Mon
day, the 30th, Decoration Day
were the two great days of the camp
in popular estimation. Wednesday
was Governors day, on which the
Governors of different states, with
stats, surrounded the President on
a grand stand in front of the White
House and reviewed the troops. On
Decoration Day the soldiers in camp
joined the procession to Arlington,
the National cemetery, and with the
Grand Army of the Republic, took
part in the exercises of the day. In
the afternoon of the same day the
prizes and trophies, the flags and
and stands of colors, the medals
and cash premiums were presented
to the successful competitors and
then the camp will break up The
victors received their "spoils," of
course, from the hands of the Pres
ident.
The government of this camp was
regular and rigid according to
Army regulations, thus giving those
who participate an idea of actual
service, such as many of them never
had, All commands were subject
to camp duty, regular inspection at
quarters, daily dress parade, and all
rules, regulations and orders that
were promulgated by the command
ant of the camp. All commands
entered were required too to remain
during the full term of the camp,
aud not permitted to quarter and
board outside of it,
La Toilette and Col. Villas.
Shortly after Il. NJ. La Toilette,
now congressman from the Third